James Gurney

This daily weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.

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or by email:gurneyjourney (at) gmail.comSorry, I can't give personal art advice or portfolio reviews. If you can, it's best to ask art questions in the blog comments.

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All images and text are copyright 2015 James Gurney and/or their respective owners. Dinotopia is a registered trademark of James Gurney. For use of text or images in traditional print media or for any commercial licensing rights, please email me for permission.

However, you can quote images or text without asking permission on your educational or non-commercial blog, website, or Facebook page as long as you give me credit and provide a link back. Students and teachers can also quote images or text for their non-commercial school activity. It's also OK to do an artistic copy of my paintings as a study exercise without asking permission.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

This week the GurneyJourney blog passes 2,000 posts. For nearly the last five years, I've been doing a new blog post every day.

To commemorate the occasion, I’d like to present you with some of the most popular series of posts. These are big topics that I couldn't cover in a single day. Even if you're a regular visitor, maybe some of these will be new to you.

I'd to express my thanks to you for giving me such interesting feedback and support all the way along. Your comments have made this more of a learning experience than a teaching experience.
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Get a lot of this information in book form in Color and Light and Imaginative Realism

2,000 posts???!!! Amazing. Sometimes it's easy to take a blog for granted, forgetting that there's a person putting in personal hours to keep it current. So, Thank You for your blog, James. It's makes each day a little brighter.

Assuming (too conservatively) that you put an average of an hour into each post, 2000 posts is a year's worth of work, eight hours a day, five days a week. A huge gift to the world. Thank you for brightening the world with Gurney Journey.

Happy 2000th and congratulations!!!Your brother Dan couldn't have put it better!!!:-DThanks for that great, inspiring and informative journey!! Indeed a huge gift to the world!Best wishes to you and Jeanette!

This is quite an accomplishment, 2000 posts!I think the great thing about this accomplishment is how valuable each post is. I follow blogs that have multiple artists posting and I don't think they update as often as you.

James, I've followed your blog daily since your June 12 2009 Brush Washer post. Such simple practicality, so clearly explained; matter-of-fact, no ego intruding. I built one that day and have been using it since.

I've also gotten to know you and your lovely wife and I want you to know that watching the two of you work together through what must have been some very challenging situations has been inspiring.

While I know that these posts represent a rather canny marketing effort from someone who caught the potential of the medium early on, I also believe that you would post even if there was no other benefit. The broad, intellectual curiosity you bring to the art community has been refreshing, and we have all benefited from the sharing. Thank you, and many more great years to come!

BTW, I would have thought that your Christmas Donkey posts would rank up there pretty high, too. Didn't see one this year.

Thank you for this wonderful list! I've been meaning to sit down and push through all 2,000 of your posts, but this makes it much easier. Congratulations on the big 2-0-0-0! Can't wait to see what more you write. :D

Comment continued: They've simplified down the light sources in a rather nice way. One of the things that I think is interesting is how they've brought the "bounce light" or shadow side up in value to where it's as bright as the light side, and the form still retains its shape. Any thoughts?

Hi, Bryan -- Donato and Greg are masters of shiny metal. The bottom line advice is to keep the value range extreme (from white to black) and to think of the surface as a curving mirror, reflecting everything around it. You can set up a salad bowl, spoon, toaster, or hunk of tin foil in a real-world scene to see how they behave.

Congratulations, from an admiring new blogger. It's time to start my 4th post, and you're at 2000! Looking forward, as are my students, to all your great tips and insights. Thanks, James.Visit, in your two free minutes a day! www.donaldjurney.blogspot.com

I am new to your blog but not your books. I recently finished "Color and Light" (though I will reference it often) and enjoyed going through your favorite series of posts. Thanks for the posts which are quite informative and fun to read. I just ordered "Imaginative Realism" this morning and looking forward to working with it.